1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for forming a sheet of material about an object, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an improved cover forming apparatus for a flower pot.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
In the florist and nursery industries, it is common to cover flower pots containing plants with sheets of material made of foil, paper, plastic films, and the like to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the potted plants. In addition, a cover serves several other useful functions. For example, covers made of waterproof material such as plastics and foil prevent leakage from the bottom of the pot. Also, light reflective material insulates the soil within the pot against temperature increases from overexposure to sunlight. Pot covers also serve to protect the soil, and to some extent, the foliage, from cold air. Further, pot covers may serve as padding during shipment of fragile pots and as a means for carrying the pots.
It is desirable for florists and growers to be able to form a cover about a potted plant and secure the cover about the potted plant in a simple, economical, and efficient manner. Thus, devices for forming and securing a sheet of material about a potted plant have previously been proposed. However, such devices are either complex devices designed to automatically secure the sheet of material about the flower pot or manual devices which are difficult to use repeatedly over an extended period of time.
To this end, a need exists for a cover forming apparatus that can form a cover about a potted plant in a simple, economical, and efficient manner and permit a securing device to be quickly and easily positioned about the cover to secure the cover to the pot. It is to such a cover forming apparatus that the present invention is directed.
The present invention is directed to a cover forming apparatus for forming and securing a sheet of material about a flower pot having an outer peripheral surface. The cover forming apparatus includes a base, a stem protruding upwardly from the base and adapted to hold a plurality of stretch loops, and a former. The former has a bowl shaped configuration and an open upper end, a lower end, a sidewall extending from the open upper end to the lower end, and a pot opening. The sidewall has an outer surface and an inner surface with the outer surface having an upper inwardly tapered portion. The pot opening is sized to receive at least a portion of the flower pot together with the sheet of material such that upon disposing the flower pot into the pot opening with the sheet of material positioned between the upper end of the former and the flower pot causes the sheet of material to be formed about the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot. The lower end of the former is detachably connected to the upper end of the stem such that at least one of the stretch loops disposed about the stem is removable from the stem and disposable on the upper inwardly tapered portion of the outer surface of the former in an expanded condition by an operator such that the stretch loop contracts and slides off the upper end of the former into engagement with the sheet of material thereby securing the sheet of material about the flower pot upon the stretch loop being released by the operator.
In another aspect, the present invention in directed to a method for forming and securing a sheet of material about a flower pot having an outer peripheral surface by positioning a plurality of stretch loops about a stem. A flexible sheet of material is positioned over a former which is connected to one end of the stem. The former has a bowl shaped configuration with an open upper end, a lower end, a sidewall extending from the open upper end to the lower end, and a pot opening. The sidewall has an outer surface and an inner surface with the outer surface having an upper inwardly tapered portion. The pot opening is sized to receive at least a portion of the flower pot together with the sheet of material. The flower pot is disposed into the pot opening with the sheet of material positioned between the upper end of the former and the flower pot thereby causing the sheet of material to be formed about the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot. One of the stretch loops is moved up the sidewall of the former and onto the upper inwardly tapered portion of the outer surface of the former. The stretch loop is caused to expand as the stretch loop is being moved up the sidewall. Upon the expanded stretch loop being moved onto the upper inwardly tapered portion of the outer surface of the former the stretch loop is caused to contract and thereby slide off the upper end of the former into engagement with the sheet of material thereby securing the sheet of material about the flower pot to provide a covered flower pot.